He Called Me Mom!
by Blue-Haired Goddess
Summary: Washu confronts Tenchi regarding her daughter, and a confused Tenchi soon finds himself drawn to Washu in a surprising way. But Tenchi's real trouble lies with Ryoko, and the fact that he might just be falling in love...
1. PROLOGUE

"He Called Me Mom."  
  
BY: the Blue-Haired Goddess  
  
bluehairedgoddess@tenchiclub.com  
  
Category: General/Romance.  
  
Rated: PG-13, just to be safe.  
  
DISCRIPTION:   
  
Washu confronts Tenchi regarding her daughter, and a confused Tenchi soon finds himself drawn to Washu in a surprising way. But Tenchi's real trouble lies with Ryoko, and the fact that he might just be falling in love...  
  
DISCLAIMER: Though I would like to, I own *none* of the Tenchi Muyo characters in any of their incarnations. I *do* however, own one hell of a Tenchi obsession grin. Legal Folks, please do not sue me, I make no money from this or any other fanfic.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________________________  
  
"He Called Me Mom."  
  
PROLOGUE  
  
"I...I haven't slept for days." Washu grumbled wearily into her tea.  
  
"I don't know what's wrong with me, really. I don't *need* sleep. I've never needed it before, except to easy the occasional mental fatigue that builds up after...oh, I don't know how long. A few weeks, maybe. Then I'd sleep for maybe twelve or fourteen hours. A couple of times I've been out for nearly a day. But it wasn't sleep for sleep's sake. It was rest! It was meditation. It was clearing my head of all the data that accumulates after so long. You understand, don't you? Allowing the darkness to seep in is like giving your system a much-needed memory defrag when it's accumulated too many temporary files or something like that. I'm designed so that it would *never* be necessary for me to 'shut down', I just sleep when *I* need it. Because occasionally...Let's just say that even the Greatest Scientific Genius in the Universe gets a little mental strain here and there. That's what this house'll do to you, you know. All due respect, of course."  
  
"Of course." The elder gentleman--that is, by appearance--sitting in Washu's dimly lit lab nodded his agreement slowly, encouraging her to go on.   
  
"Sometimes, I forget. I really do. With all my little experiments, all the projects that I have going on (you really have *no* idea), all my monitoring...sometimes I *forget* what time of day or night it is until all you fine people turn out the lights over every one of my cameras. Feh." The diminutive genius rubbed her temples lightly. "Oh, Sasami alerts me to breakfast often enough. And occasionally even Honorable Father sticks his head in to tell me that he's cooked something on Sunday. But I don't get much of an indication of the time other than that. I don't have clocks in here. Waste of time. Really. I have at least twenty-some odd timers going off throughout the day, most of them alerting me to check in and review this or that data, or tracking experiments. Like sub-space anomolies in Juraian space as they happen. Or to record the data of other..." Washu paused a moment, picking her words carefully, "developments in the house that I'm working on. But not one clock. And sometimes, when I'm working on something really pressing, I forget food, too. Now, I don't necessarily need that either, but it helps to keep my girlish figure in peak condition."  
  
Helps me keep rooted, too. Washu thought. Allows me to concentrate on something more than numbers for once. Or my daughter.  
  
Gods, do I love that daughter of mine. Impudent girl! And for all my scientific expertise, for all the tens of thousands of years that I've been in this world, for all the times that I have studied humanoid psychology, I still don't get her. Not fully. Not even with the mental link that we share. And the secret is: that mental link is just as much a mystery to me as the Gems. Or the Light Hawk Sword. I can assume that it is a natural ability of ours. Just like her powers are derived from me; from my genetic coding and enhanced by the masses and the gems. But the truth is, out of the thousands of humanoid species I have studied, and the ones that I am similar to--mostly Juraians--my abilities don't match up. Not completely. I was never telepathic before my little Ryoko, and she is the only being that I am telepathic with. And I can't figure out *why*.   
  
"I need more data." She muttered aloud, her guest nearly forgotten for what seemed like a considerable length.  
  
"Data?" The priest questioned. Nodding to the cooling cup of tea that he held in his hand, he hinted to Washu for a refill.  
  
"Data." She repeated, coming to her senses and reaching for the pot. "Heh. It's quite amusing, really. Poor guinea pig Tenchi. Did you know, Lord Katsuhito, that Tenchi came to see me today? *He* came to see *me*! And you will never guess, Honorable Grandfather, what he asked me..."  
  
"Was it something to do with his mother, Miss Washu?" Katsuhito Masaki spoke for only the second time in nearly an hour, chooosing to let his words fall slowly from his lips; a contrast to Washu's lengthy rambling.  
  
Washu's tired eyes lit up, a sparkle entering the emerald green orbs. "That boy really is a genius!" 


	2. CHAPTER 1

"He Called Me Mom."  
  
BY: the Blue-Haired Goddess  
  
bluehairedgoddess@tenchiclub.com  
  
Category: General/Romance.  
  
Rated: PG-13, just to be safe.  
  
DISCRIPTION:   
  
Washu confronts Tenchi regarding her daughter, and a confused Tenchi soon finds himself drawn to Washu in a surprising way. But Tenchi's real trouble lies with Ryoko, and the fact that he might just be falling in love...  
  
DISCLAIMER: Though I would like to, I own *none* of the Tenchi Muyo characters in any of their incarnations. I *do* however, own one hell of a Tenchi obsession grin. Legal Folks, please do not sue me, I make no money from this or any other fanfic.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________________________  
  
"He called Me Mom."  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
CHAPTER ONE  
  
It was the middle of the night. Well after one a.m. In a large house by a lake in the middle of the mountains, in the prefecture of Okayama, Japan, Tenchi crept silently across the hardwood floor.  
  
"Can't sleep, Tenchi?" The woman looked up from her spot on the couch, a bemused smile on her face. Midway from the living room to the kitchen, Tenchi Masaki stopped dead in his tracks, his slender form illuminated by the flicker of the television set in the dark. Startled, Tenchi had the look of a deer trapped in the headlights of oncoming traffic. There sitting on the couch before him--halfway between his goal in the kitchen, and the stairs (which led to the safety of his bedroom) was...  
  
"Ry-Ryoko! I didn't know you were here, that is I--"  
  
"Relax, Tenchi. I'm not her. I couldn't sleep, either."  
  
"Miss-Miss Washu." Tenchi breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry, Miss Washu, I just thought--and with the hair--and it's dark and..."  
  
"It's okay, Tenchi. My daughter does carry Mommy's *remarkable* looks." Washu Hakubi shook her head, spiky pink-red hair barely moving with her action. "Though I am a bit shorter than her in this form." She narrowed her eyes, absently breaking eye contact with the boy to glance down at her crab-printed flannel pajamas, all too big for her twelve-year old body. "And remember, it's *Little* Washu."  
  
"Right, Little Washu. Sorry about that." Tenchi reached up his hand, scratching nervously at the back of his neck.  
  
"Tenchi, I couldn't sleep, either. I could use some company." Washu gestured to the empty seat opposite hers.  
  
"I was actually here to get something to eat, Little Washu."  
  
"Mind if I join you?" Washu rose from the couch, following Tenchi quietly into the dinnette, kneeling to sit at the low table. "Remember the last time we met like this, Tenchi?"   
  
"It was when baby Taro was visiting last, wasn't it?" Tenchi was now rooting through the fridge, bringing to the table a bowl of cold sweet-rice and grilled samon, leftovers from the evening's dinner.  
  
"Yes, it was." Washu nodded, taking her dish (which simply "appeared") and filling it with rice. "...And you had asked if that was really what a mother and daughter acted like."  
  
"I remember." Tenchi nodded slowly in agreement, filling his plate. "I guess that I never expected you to be so motherly, Little Washu." Tenchi was now settling into his seat, his eyes on Little Washu and the furrow in her brow. She was really only picking at her food, he realized. And somehow, he could sense a sort of nostalgic pain in her eyes...  
  
  
  
"I have been a mother for a very long time, Tenchi. Twenty thousand years ago. And I did it all again five thousand years before you were born." Washu sighed heavily. "Sometimes I think I'm forgetting what a mother and child are supposed to be like. It's been so long since I've had the chance...to be a mother." Washu blinked. She could feel the tears threatening her eyes. "Now here I am again. And I don't know where I'm going wrong." She kept her head slightly bent avoiding Tenchi's gaze. "She's a *teenager* now, Tenchi. Something that she couldn't be for the past five thousand years." 


	3. CHAPTER 2

"He Called Me Mom."  
  
BY: the Blue-Haired Goddess  
  
bluehairedgoddess@tenchiclub.com  
  
Category: General/Romance.  
  
Rated: PG-13, just to be safe.  
  
DISCRIPTION:   
  
Washu confronts Tenchi regarding her daughter, and a confused Tenchi soon finds himself drawn to Washu in a surprising way. But Tenchi's real trouble lies with Ryoko, and the fact that he might just be falling in love...  
  
DISCLAIMER: Though I would like to, I own *none* of the Tenchi Muyo characters in any of their incarnations. I *do* however, own one hell of a Tenchi obsession grin. Legal Folks, please do not sue me, I make no money from this or any other fanfic.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________________________  
  
"He Called Me Mom."  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
CHAPTER TWO  
  
Tenchi remained silent, thinking of the parts of Ryoko's past that he was aware of, and the parts that no one ever told him about. Ryoko had spent five thousand years as Kagato's captive and brainwashed prisoner. Slowly, he picked at his food as he stared at Washu. As she spoke, her hair had slipped to cover most of her face, and only her chin could be visible from behind spiky pink shocks. Slowly creeping down her chin were two thin lines of tears.   
  
"I'm always worried about my little girl. She's...all that I have."  
  
"That can't be true, Little Washu. You know that you have all of us here. We all care for you."  
  
"Regardless, Tenchi. That's not what I meant. She is my only Ryoko. She is my only daughter and therefore my only blood relative. I don't know where my husband is now, or my son. Twenty thousand years...is a long time." Washu sighed heavily, gazing up at Tenchi from behind pink bangs. She forced half a smile, and Tenchi could swear that the diminutive scientist's chin was trembling. Her daytime manical genius guise was melting away, showing a more fragile person than he was used to.  
  
"But, if you're worried about Ryoko...Has something happened to her, Washu? If there's something wrong with her..."  
  
"No, Tenchi, nothing's wrong with her. But I guess I should be asking you...Is there anything wrong? My little Ryoko's fragile, you know."  
  
"W-What do you mean?"  
  
"Do you think that she's adapting well? To life on Earth? To life...in your home?"  
  
"O-Of course! I mean--well you know how she is, she doesn't do very many chores--except when she wants to--but overall I'd say that she's doing well. She's a part of our *family*. Same as anybody."  
  
"*Really*, Tenchi?" This time she really did sound a bit like the space pirate herself.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Washu's lips curled into a slow smile. She chuckled softly as she wiped at her salted cheeks with a fisted hand.  
  
"Tenchi, I'm going to tell you something that I'm not sure that you're aware of. And I don't think that Ryoko wants you to know, but I think it's important, so listen: Ryoko and I...share a telepathic bond. And an empathic bond. So...I *know*."  
  
* * * 


	4. CHAPTER 3

"He Called Me Mom."  
  
BY: the Blue-Haired Goddess  
  
bluehairedgoddess@tenchiclub.com  
  
Category: General/Romance.  
  
Rated: PG-13, just to be safe.  
  
DISCRIPTION:   
  
Washu confronts Tenchi regarding her daughter, and a confused Tenchi soon finds himself drawn to Washu in a surprising way. But Tenchi's real trouble lies with Ryoko, and the fact that he might just be falling in love...  
  
DISCLAIMER: Though I would like to, I own *none* of the Tenchi Muyo characters in any of their incarnations. I *do* however, own one hell of a Tenchi obsession grin. Legal Folks, please do not sue me, I make no money from this or any other fanfic.  
  
____________________________________________________________________________________________  
  
"He called Me Mom."  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
CHAPTER THREE  
  
"I know *everything*."  
  
Tenchi gulped. He wasn't quite sure where this was going, but he was sure he wouldn't like it.  
  
"Kn-know?"  
  
"Don't play dumb, Tenchi. It's getting very late and I'm--I'm tired."  
  
Tenchi's expression remained blank.  
  
"When she's happy, when she's upset...How she feels when you come within ten feet of her. And Zero..." Washu blushed. She had thought that with the merging of Zero, Ryoko's behavior would be a little less erractic, but yet... "I know how she really feels about you, Tenchi. When you're around, I can practically feel every idiotic grin, even when I'm in my lab. The emotions have been so strong that I haven't been able to concentrate on any of my experiments. She's overriding every conscious thought I have and...I'm tired of the games. I just want her to be happy."  
  
"But W-Washu I...That is, I would never--"  
  
"You would never what, Tenchi? I know this is a sensitive subject, but think of how your actions affect all of us. I said that I can practically feel every idiotic grin when you and Ryoko are together. But it's not just *Ryoko* that I'm refering to. And I'm sure the others have noticed as well. Especially Princess Ayeka."  
  
"But it's not what you think, I'm not playing games with them..."  
  
"Get some sleep, Tenchi. If you feel like talking about this more, you know where I am. I'll set the labdoor to unlock only to your astral pattern."  
  
Standing, Little Washu vanished into a subspace pocket, leaving forgotten her untouched rice.  
  
* * * 


End file.
